Cranberry-picker



(No Model.)

D. LUMBERT.

CRANBERRY PIOKBR.

No. 438,178. Patented July 29,1890.

vii/test Ink/671x307" UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

DANIEL LUMBERT, OF CENTREVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CRANBERRY-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,178, dated July 29, 1890.

Application filed November 21, 1889- Serial No. 331,123. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, DANIEL LUMBERT, of Centreville, in the county of Barnstable and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cranberry- Pickers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of the implement for gathering cranberries, which in its general features has heretofore been described in my Letters Patent of January 29, 1878, No. 199,728; December 11, 1883, No. 289,846, and December 5, 1885, No. 331,983.

It consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the stripping-frame and its operative lever in manner as is hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a front view in perspective of the improved cranberry-gatherer, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical section thereof in line 00 0c of Fig. 1, with the position of the stripping-frame when lowered represented in dotted lines.

The gathering-receptacle is constructed, as usual, of a solid rear plate A, from whose lower end extend the parallel rods or fingers B L, constituting the gathering-fork. The sides of the receptacle are formed each of a top bar 0 and a parallel bottom runner D, secured at their inner ends to the end of the rear plate A, to extend out therefrom parallel with the gatheringfork. The runner D is preferably formed of a strip of sheet metal doubled longitudinally upon itself, and its front end is bent upward to embrace the outer end of the solid bar 0, to which it is secured. The sides are completed by means of rods E E, fixed at one end to the plate A and whose front ends are caught and held between the folds of the upturned end of the runner. The handle L for the receptacle is secured at one end to the upper edge of the rear plate A midway its length, preferably by means of a wire bracket M, and its front end, extending over the receptacle, is upheld bya wire brace N, extending therefrom diagonally to the lower part of the rear plate, as shown in Fig. 2.-

The stripping-frame is constructed of a solid front plate F, of a width equal to the depth of the ga-thering-receptaele, and which is secured to the front ends of two side pieces or arms G G, whose rear ends are united at the top'by a cross-bar II. It is made of suit able dimensions for insertion between the sides of the gathering-receptacle, and extending back from the front of the receptacle about one-third the length of its sides is hinged to its top bars 0 C by means of pivotpins 2' 2', passing through the bars and entering the ends of the cross-bar II. hen this stripping-frame is swung down in front of the receptacle, the lower edge of its plate will be brought in line with the front ends of the lateral top bars 0 C, leaving an open inter val between itand the front ends of the rods in the gathering-fork. A stripping rod or wire J is extended between the side pieces G G, parallel with the front plate F,in position to be brought about midway between it and the ends of the gatheringrods and a little above them, when the stripping-frame is depressed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The depressing-lever K is pivoted to the upper edge of the rear plate, near one end thereof, and extends thence diagonally to the middle of the length of the front' plate F, where it passes loosely undera wire staple P, by which it is confined to the stripping-frame without interfering with its oscillation. A spiral spring R, extended from the staple P to the front end of the handle L, operates to automatically lift the stripping-frame, so as to leave the mouth of the gathering-receptacle open, in readiness to receive the vines and berries to be picked.

In operation the open receptacle, with its fork B B, being held in one hand by means of the handle L in substantially a horizontal position, is pushed under and through the growth of vines to be picked, the rods of the fork passing readily between them, so that the berries are brought above the rods. By a pressure of the operating-thumb upon the depressing-bar K, which is fitted with a but ton S to facilitate this action of the thumb, the stripping-frame is then swung down to close the receptacle, and the stripping-rod J is brought down transversely in front of the prongs of the fork across the opening between them and the front plate F, so that no opening is left large enough to permit of an escape of the berries. The fork is then lifted and drawn off of the vines caught therein, and the berries are thereby stripped therefrom and collected in the receptacle.

By hinging the stripping-frame comparatively near to the front of the receptacle, in-

stead of at the rear end thereof, as heretofore, a quicker and more eifective movement thereof is obtained,which is promoted by the combination of the spiral spring therewith in manner as described.

The depressing-lever K, hinged independently to the rear plateA of the receptacle and extending under a staple P, or through a slot in the front plate F of the stripping-frame, operates to limit the upward sweep of the frame under the stress of the spring R, as

well as to provide a means for its depression.

The combination, with the front plate F, of the stripping-frame of the single parallel stripper-rod J, extending transversely to the front ends of the prongs of the fork, facilitates the detachment of the berries and the withdrawal of the gatherer from the vines.

I claim as my invention The combination, With the gathering-receptacle and fork, in a cranberry-picker, substantially as described, of the handle, the springactuated oscillating stripping-frame pivoted in front of the center of the receptacle transversely to the handle, and the depressinglever pivoted independently to the rearplate of the receptacle to extend alongside of the handle and beyond it through a staple on the front plate of the stripping-frame, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 0 

